Door latch for a pillarless automobile



March 18, 1958 J. D. LESLIE ET A1. 2,327,321

DOOR LATCHV FOR A PILLARLESS AUTOMOBILE Filed Jan. 19, 1955 n 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 S T N E V m March 18, 1958 x. D. LESLIE ET AL 2,827,321

DOOR LATCH FOR A PILLARLESS AUTOMOBILE Filed Jan. 19, 1955 s sheets-sheet' 2 www March 18, 1958 J. D. LESLIE ET AL 2,827,321

DOOR LATCH FOR A PILLARLESS AUTOMOBILE Filed Jan. 19. 1955 8 SheetE-Sheer. 5 Y

Maul-ch 18, 19x58 A.1. DgLsLlE ETAL 2,327,321

f DOOR LATCH FOR PILLARLESS AUTOMOBILE Filed Jan. 19. 195s y "s sheets-sheen:

Mach 38, i958 J, D LESLIE ETAL y zg'ygl DOOR LATCH FOR A PILLARLESS AUTOMOBILE Filed Jan. 19, 1955 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 BY i arch 18, 1958 1. D. LESLIE ET AL 2,827,323

DOOR LTCH FOR A PILLARLESS AUTOMOBILE Filed Jan. 19, 1955 8 Sheets-Shea?I 6 INVENTORS ji/araf March 8, E958 J. D. LESLIE ET AL 2,827,32

DOOR LATCH FOR A PILLARLESS AUTOMOBILE Filed Jan. 19, 1955 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 wijf ATTQRNEY Mach 38, w58 1. D. LESLIE ETAL gg'm DOOR LATCH FOR A PILLARLESS AUTOMOBILE Filed Jan. 19, 1955 8 sheets-sheet 8 INVENTOFQS United States Patent DR LATCH FR A PLLARLESS AU'GMOBLE dames D. Leslie, Birmingham, Clyde H. Schamel, Royal Gah, and Har-oid E. Van Voorhees, Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., assignors to General Motors Corporetion, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application January 19, 1955, Serial No. 432,772

Claims. (Cl. 29E- 5) vention is that it provides an improved motor operated latch; still another feature of the invention is that there are automatically operable means associated with the latch for disconnecting it from the motor operator to provide for manual operation of the latch without operation of the motor; still a further feature of the invention is that it provides an improved electro-mechanical latching system for a pillarless automobile; a further feature of the invention is that it provides novel means for latching the front and rear doors to each other and to the automobile sill or rocker panel; another feature of the invention is that it provides a latching system for a pillarless automobile wherein the front and rear doors are latched to each other, which system can be electrically operated by a motor rarn device through control means on the front and the rear door, and in which the front and rear doors are latched to the sill by subsidiary latches which are released mechanically Vby control means on each respective door; yet a further feature of thel inven* tion is that mechanical means are providedfor releasing the main latch in the event of power failure; still another feature of the invention is that it provides an electrical interlock to prevent the motor ram from moving the bolt to latched position unless both front and rear doors are closed; and still another feature off the invention yis that it provides a novel mounting means and limit switch actuator for the motor.

Other features and advantages of the invention Will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which:

Eig. l is a fragmentary side elevation of an automobile having the improved latching means structure which underlies the outer panels of the automobile body being shown in broken lines;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section taken inside the outer front and rear door panels, the latch being shown in side elevation and partly in section;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the latch with the parts shown in unlatched position;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse detail section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of the latch, looking along the line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the latch, looking forwardly;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the latch looking lfrom inside the door;

Fig. 8 is a view of the rear door Ylatch operating means, looking along the line S--S of Fig. 2;

Pig. 9 is a vertical section through the striker, taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged view, partly in section, showing the motor operating means for the latch;

2,827,321?. Patented Mar. is, s

Fig. ll is a section through the lower portion of the front andvrear doors and the sil1,rsh0wing the subsidiary latch means and taken along the line 11-11 of Fig. 12;

` Fig. l2 is an enlarged vertical transverse section through the vlower portion of the rear door and sill, taken along the line Z--lZ of Fig. l; and

Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram-of the electrical circuit tor operating the latch means.

This door latch is particularly designed for a pillarless 4-door automobile ofthe type designated generallyl as 1 inftlig. l. mounted at its front side on the body and a rear door 3 hingedly mounted at its rear side on the body. Thesev are so-called convertible type doorsl which` do not have a window'frame, so consequently there isV no means forV latching the doors to the side roof rail of the automobile.

The hinge mountings for the doors may be conventional 4l by a subsidiary sill latch i7. The front door may be opened from thc outside by means of a pushbutton and rod device 5, or the door may be opened from the inside by means of a remotely located handle 6 connected to the main latch through an actuating rod 7. The rear door may be opened from the outside by means of an outside push button and rod device S, or it may be opened from the inside by means of a remotely located inside handie 9 connected to the rear door latch operating means through an actuating rod 10.

General description The front door 2 carries the main door latch 1l, which latch has a motor operated slide bolt 12 engaging in a striker i3 on the rear door 3 to latch the front and rear doors together. A reversible motor i4 and screw jack l5 (see Figs. l and l0) are utilized for moving the bolt between an extended or latched position as shown in Figs.Y 2, 5 and 7 and a retracted or unlatched position as shown in Fig. 3. As will appear from the description of the wiring diagram of Fig. 13, the motor i4 has a retracting circuit and a latching circuit.

There is also a mechanically operated subsidiary sill latch l16 at the bottom of the front door 2 and an identicalv sill latch i7 at the bottom of the rear door 3. These sill latches, which are shown in Figs. l, ll and l2, anchor the bottom of the doors to the sill.

When the front door inner handle 6 or outer push button 5 is operated to open the door, the sill latch 16 is released mechanically through a rod 1S, and at the same time, this rod operates a motor switch to close the retracting circuit to the motor Siti to retract the latch bolt i2. There is also a mechanical release means for the latch bolt l2 so that the door can be opened in the event of power failure` Operation of the rear door handle 9 pulls on a rod 2@ to trigger the rear door sill latch 17. At the same time,

rod 2G operates a motor switch in the retracting circuitV to actuate the motor 14 in the front door and unla'tch the rear door from the front door. means for opening the rear door.

Upon closing the doors, door sill switches are actu-` ated to operate the motor 11i and move the bolt 12 to its latched position. The electrical circuit includes interlocks to prevent the main latch bolt from being movedV to latched position when either door is open.

Operating circuit The automobile has a front door 2 hingedlyv There is no mechanical` aanvoer movement of the bolt 12- rom latched to unlatched posi tion.

The link 33 is shifted between the latched position shown in Figs. 2 and 7 and the'unlatched position of Fig. 3 by aV drive mechanism including a drive link 4@ which is pivoted onthe frame at The lower end of link is pivotally connected to the upper end of an extension 15a of the screw jack device l5 by means of a rivet 42. The link 4i? has a projection 43 forming a shoulder for engagement with a lug 44 which projects transverselv from an intermediate lever that is pivoted coax with link 4@ on the stud 4i. The intermediate link lies between link eil and trame Si? and con` the link 33 through the rivet 36. Consequenuy, when link 4i) is driven in a counterclockwise direction from the position of Fig. 2 to the position of Fig. 3 upon ei:- tending movement of the screw jack l5, projection Ywill pick up lug 44 to drive links 45 and 33, causing the bolt l?. to move to its unlatched position.

if no mechanical operating means were pro the bolt, a permanent connection between do 45 would sudice to operate the bolt between latched and unlatched positions. it is desirable, how-ever, to provide mechanical means for operating the bolt in the event of power failure. To permit mechanical operation of the bolt without simultaneous operation of the screw jack there is a triggering pawl 47 which permits the bolt l2 and the links 33 and 45 to be driven to bolt unlatched position independently of the driving link iii and the screw jack l5. Since the latch mechanism is inside the door panels and there is no means of access 'to mechanism without removing one of the door panels, the triggering pawl 47 cannot be manually operated whenever the necessity arises, but must Je automatically operated so that the bolt can be moved to unietchedV position either manually or mechanically through the screw jack l5.

The pawl 47 is pivotally mounted on the driving link 40 by a rivet 48. The pawl has a stop tab 49 which, in Fig. 2, is shown in engagement with a stop Sti bent from the frame 3d. Another stop member 51 on the frame is adapted to be engaged by the tab 49 when the driving link 4t? is swung in a counterclockwise direction towards unlatched position. if the screw jack is extended by operation of the motor 14, the driving link 4@ will swing in a counterclockwise direction, carrying with it the pawl 47. As the unlatching limit position is approached (but not reached) the tab 49 on the pawl 47 will abut the stop 5l, swinging the pawl 47 in a clockwise-direction with respect to the link 40 and bringing a notched dogging shoulder 52 of the pawl into abutting relation with the surface 53 of the lug 44. Now, upon reverse or clockwise movement of the driving link 4t?, the pawl 47 will connect link 4b to the intermediate link 45 through the lug 44. As the parts approach the latched position shown in Fig. 2, the tab 49 abuts stop 5% on the frame, causing counterclockwise movement of the pawl 47 with respect to the link 40 and moving the notch 52 out of engagement with the lug 44 so that the bolt can be manually retracted without moving the screw jack.V An overcenter spring 54 releasably holds the pawl 47 in either of its two positions.

In order to hold the bolt 12 in its latching position, there is a detent ltltl atop the bolt pivotally mounted on the frame at lill and having a latch blocking portion i192 which engages in a notch 12a in the top surface of the bolt. A spring ltlS urges the detent lltltl in a counterclockise direction as the parts appear in the plan view of Fig. 5 so that the latch blocking portion ltlZ shown in Fig. 2 enters the notch 12a in the top surface of the latch bolt to hold the bolt against retracting movement.

inV order to move the bolt to unlatched positiomeither manually or by means of the electro-mechanical drive earlier described, it is necessary to pivot the detent out of blocking relation to the bolt. In order to accomplish -d for n this for the electro-mechanicaly drive,` the detenthas a arm 104 extending underneath the bolt into thepath f movement of a lug 105 projecting from the drive link 4t). Upon initial movement of the link 40 ina counterclockwise direction, lug 105 will pick up detent arm 104 to cam the detent out of blocking relation to the bolt before lug 4fach the driving link picks up lug 44 onthe intermediate link 45, the lugs 43 and 44 being spaced to permit this lost motion, as shown in Fig. 2.

Referring particularly to Fig. 6, in order to open the door mechanically from the inside or from the outside and in order to provide a mechanical actuator'for motorswitches a and k, there is an operating lever pivotally mounted on la rivet lll in the jamb face of the latch frame. The operating lever has an upwardly extending arm HZ with a turned tab 113 adapted to engage a complementary tab H4 on the detent 14MB. The outside push button actuator 5 also 'engages the vtab-1125, so thatV when therdoor is opened from the outside, the operating lever il@ is pivoted in a clockwise direction (see Fig. 6) and the detent ltiti is moved to its'out of the way position to free the bolt l2 for retracting movement. Spring 34 then retracts the bolt.

The operating lever 110 vhas a horizontally extending arm 115 which terminates adjacent the inner door panel in a turned tab 116 adapted to be engaged by a remote operating lever 117 when the inner remote door handle 6 is operated. Lever ll7 is pivoted on a stud 117a on the frame. Operation of the remote handle 6 pivots lever lllltl in a clockwise direction in the same manner as does operation of the outside push button. A third arm 118 on the lever 110 is connected to the operating rod titi so that this rod is raised and the sill latch 16 is released mechanically whenever the door is opened, and the motor switches a and k are operated by the actuator 2l on the rod 18.

Rear door latch actuating means As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the rear door striker merely comprises plates titl and 6l on a frame 64, the members ed, dit and 64 having a generally rectangular opening 62 to receive the end of the latch bolt 12. No parts of the striker are movable. However, this assembly does include a release mechanism for the main and rear sill latches. There is a bell crank 63 pivoted on the striker trarne 54 at 65 and having an upwardly extending arm 66 with a tab 67 for operation by the rear door outside push button rod d. Another arm 63 of this bell crank extends towards the inner door panel and is pivotally connected to a remote lever l79 which is pivotally mounted on the door at 7i. The lever 7i) has a downwardly extending arm 72 connected at 73 to the remote actuating rod 19 extending from the inside handle S. The lever 63 has another arm 74 connected at 75 to the operating rod Ztl for the sill latch 17 and motor switches b and y' as shown in Fig. l. Fihe operation of the rear door inner or outer opening means mechanically releases the sill latch i7 and electrically releases the main latch 11. There is no mechanical means for operating the main latch il from the rear door.

Sill latch The sill latches i6 and i7 shown in Figs. ll and l2 are identical and only the rear door latch 17 will be described in detail. The same reference characters with a prime designate corresponding parts in the front door latch i6. The latch trarne dit, which is mounted on the door, carries a pivoted bolt 31 and a pivoted detent Z. The bolt is bifurcated, having lingers 81a and lb spaced by a latching recess 31e. A spring S3 urges the bolt towards unlatched position and a spring 84 urges the detent towards engagement with latching teeth 8S and Se on the bolt. The detent is connected to the rod i8 (or 20 inthe rear door).

When the rod 20 is moved VI ipwardly, it releases the detent 82 and permits the bolt to Vswing-'to unlatched position. Y

The striker is carried on the sill l and is formed as a U as shown at 87 in Fig. ll. The bolts for both latches 16 and 17 engage this same U-shaped striker. There is also a Ydovetail dowel 96 carried by the door. This dovetail enters a recess 91 in theV sill to hold the door in position when the door is closed. Y

While we have shown and described one embodiment of our invention, it is capable of many modications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim: Y

1. A door latching system for a pillarless automobile having a body with front and rear doors, the free edges of which lie closely adjacent each other whenthe doors are closed, comprising: means for latching the free swingingV edges of the doors to each other including a bolt movable between latched and unlatched positions; and

interlock means operable by either door to prevent movement of said bolt to latched position when either door is open, said bolt, when in latched position, lying in the path of closing movement of the free swinging edge of one door. Y

2.'A door latching system for a pillarless automobile havingra body with front and rear doors, the free edges of which lie closely adjacent each other when the doors are closed, comprising: means for latching the free swinging edges of the doors to each other including a bolt `movable between latched and unlatched positions; common control means for unlatching the doors from 53 Y the doors are closed; a subsidiary latch on each of said doors for latching each door to the body; electrical means for operating said main latch; mechanical means for operating each subsidiary latch; iirst control means on the front door including a common actuator for said electri- A cal means and for the mechanical operating means for the front subsidiary latch; second control means on the rear t Y door including a common actuator for said electrical unlatched positions; a striker on the rear door, said boltengaging in said striker to latch the doors together when the doors are closed; a subsidiary latch on each of said doors for latching each door to the body; electrical means for operating said main latch; mechanical means for operating said main latch; mechanical means for operatingV each subsidiary latch independently of the other; Vfirst control means on the front door including a common actuator for said electrical means, for the mechanical opereach other and simultaneously unlatching a door from the body; and interlock Vmeans operable by Yeither door to prevent movement ofV said bolt to latched position when either door is open, said bolt, when in latched position, lying in the path of closing movement of the free swinging edge of one door.

3. A door latching system for a pillarless automobile having a body with front and rear doors, the free edges 'of which lie closely adjacent each other when the doors are closed, including: a main latch on one door; a striker onV the other door, said latch engagingtin said'striker to latch the doors together when the doors are closed; a subsidiary latch on each of said doors for latching each door to the body; first control means on the front door including-a common actuator for the main latch and the front door subsidiary latch; and second control means on the rear door includingta common actuator for the main latch and the rear'door subsidiary latch.

4. door latching system for a pillarless automobile having a body with front and-rear doors, vthe free edges of which lie closely adjacent each other when the doors are closed, including: a main latch on the front door, said latch'having a bolt movable between latched and un- Vlatched positions; a strikerY on the rear door, said bolt engaging in said striker to latch the doors together when the doors are closed; a subsidiary latch on each of'said doors for latching each door to the body; electrical means for operating said main latch; mechanical means forV operating each subsidiary latchytirst control means on the iront door including a common actuator for said electrical means and for the mechanical operating meansttor the front subsidiary latch; and second control means on the Vrear'door including a'common actuator for said elec- Y trical means and for the mechanical operating means for the rear subsidiaryflatch. Y

V5. A door latching system for a pillarless automobile having a body with front and rear doors, the free edges or" which lie closely adjacent eachother when'the doors are Y closed,Y including: a main latch on the frontrdoor, said latch `having a bolt movablerbetween latched and un- `latched positions; a striker on the rear door, said bolt engagingin-said striker to latchV ti ,el doors together when ating means for the main latch and for the mechanical operating means for the front subsidiary latch; and second Ycontrol means on the rear door including a common actuator for said electrical means and for the mechanical operating means for the rear subsidiaryV latch. Y

7. A doorV latching system for a pillarless automobile having a body with kiront and rear doors, the free edges of which lie closely adjacent each otherwhen the doors are closed, including: Va'main latch on the front door, said latch having a bolt movable between latched and unlatched positions; a striker on the rear door, said holt Y engaing in said striker to latch 'the fdoors together when the doors` are closed; a subsidiary latch on each of said doors for latching each door to the body; electrical means for operatingV said main latch; mechanical means for operating said main latch; mechanical means for operating each subsidiaryk latch independently of the other; first control means on the front door including a common actuator for said Velectrical means, for the mechanical operating means for the main latch and for the mechanical operating means for the front subsidiary latch; second control means on the rear door including a common actuator` for said electrical means'and'for the mechanical operating means for the rear subsidiary latch; and electrical interlock means preventing operation of said bolt to Y latched .position when either door is open. t 8. A door latching system for a pillarless automobile having a body with front and rear doors, the freeedges of which lie closely adjacentreach other` when the doors are closed, including: -a main latch 0n one door; a striker on the other door, said latch engaging in said striker'to latch the doors together when the doors areV closed; electrical means for operating said latch; control means on Y each of said doorsV for actuating said electricalV means;

mechanical means for operating said latch;` control means on the'dco'r on which Vsaid latch is mounted for actuating said mechanical means; a subsidiary latch on each of-,said

doors for latching each door to the body; mechanicalV means on each door'for operating the subsidiary latch on that door; and actuating means connected to said control means and to said mechanical means for controlling the main latch and the subsidiary latch onronre door simultaneously. l Y

`9. A door latching system for apillarless automobile having a body with front and rear doors, the Vfree edges of which lie directly Vadjacenteach other when the doors .are closed, comprising:V means for latching the doors to eachother adjacent their free edges; means` for latching each door to the body adjacent the free swinging edge of each door; single control means having an operator on the front door only for unlatching the doors from each other and unlatching the front door from the body; and single control means having an operator on the rear door only for unlatching the doors from each other and unlatching the rear door from the body.

10. A door latching system for a pillarless automobile having a body with front and rear doors, the free edges of which lie closely adjacent each other when the doors are l closed, including: a main latch on one door; a striker on the other door, said latch engaging in said striker to latch the doors together when the doors are closed; a subsidiary latch on each of said doors for latching the door to the body; single control means on the front door for the main latch and the front door subsidiary latch; and single control means on the rear door for the main latch and the rear door subsidiary latch.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 279,334 Clark June 12, 1883 1,247,052 Wilson Nov. 20, 1917 1,346,670 Page July 13, 1920 1,635,028 Burr July 5, 1927 1,776,265 Martel Sept. 23, 1930 1,869,274 Phillips July 26, 1932 2,363,364 Rugg Nov. 2l, 1944 

